Abstract: An ostomy pouching system comprises a fixing plate and a bag having an opening, the fixing plate comprising a central hole for receipt of a stoma, a base layer bearing a first major surface and formed of a flexible tacky material and an upper layer bearing the second major surface and formed of a material that is harder than the base layer. The central hole has a perimeter that is smaller than a perimeter of a stoma, in which at least a portion of the first major surface that surrounds the central hole comprises a resiliently deformable region capable of stretching to form a neck region that in use conforms to a sidewall of the stoma when the stoma protrudes through the central hole. The system comprises a belt for attaching the fixing plate to the patient's body, the belt having a central hole configured to receive a stoma and a surrounding surface configured to abut the fixing plate with the base layer disposed against one face of the belt and the upper layer disposed against an opposite face of the belt.